Quick reference guide – Feed importers

The Feeds Regulations, 2024 impact a variety of stakeholders, including:

  • single ingredient feed manufacturers and suppliers
  • mixed feed manufacturers and suppliers (for example, commercial feed mills, specialty feed manufacturers, etc.)
  • rendering facilities manufacturing livestock feed ingredients
  • feed retail outlets
  • livestock producers (on-farm feed mills)
  • feed importers
  • feed exporters

Feed importers are businesses that import feed into Canada. The Feeds Regulations, 2024 apply to those who import, export, manufacture and sell livestock feed. Depending on the scope of their business, a feed importer may be involved in more than 1 feed-related activity.

All imported feeds must either be registered or must be imported by a licence holder. If the imported feed is registered, the importer may also choose to get a licence. The imported feed must meet Canadian standards and labelling requirements. In addition, the importer of a livestock feed must be able to demonstrate that it was manufactured under conditions which provide the same level of protection as if those activities took place domestically under a preventive control plan (PCP).

The Feeds Act sets out the authority for licencing, while the Feeds Regulations, 2024 set out exactly who needs a licence. Imported feeds fall into 2 categories:

This quick reference guide applies to you if:

  • you import livestock feed for commercial use into Canada and you directly sell that feed or you store, process, package, label or distribute the imported feed
  • you import a livestock feed for feeding to your own livestock

Feeds that are imported for commercial use

The authority for licencing is limited to livestock feeds that have been imported for sale (that is, imported for commercial use). This includes feeds imported to be directly resold, or feeds that are used to make other feeds that will be sold.

Given this authority, licences are required for conducting activities (store, process, package, label or distribute) with a livestock feed that has been imported for sale. There is an exception to this for registered feeds, which means that in the case of livestock feeds imported for commercial use, the importer may choose to either register the feed or obtain a licence.

Note: until the licencing provisions come into effect on December 17, 2025, all imported mixed feeds require registration.

Regulatory requirements that apply to you

Hazard analysis and preventive control plans

You must prepare, keep, maintain and implement a written PCP for any activities you perform with the imported feed. In addition, you must be able to demonstrate that the imported feed was manufactured, stored, packaged and labelled under conditions which provide the same level of protection as if those activities took place domestically under a PCP.

This is a new regulatory requirement that will come into effect on June 17, 2025. Please refer to the preventive control plans – general overview and hazard analysis – general overview for additional information.

Licences

If the feed you are importing is not registered, you require a licence.

This is a new regulatory requirement that will come into effect on December 17, 2025. Please refer to the licensing – general overview for additional information.

Traceability and record-keeping

You are required to keep records of the livestock feeds you import for sale, including when and where they came from, as well as who you ship or sell the feed to. The records must include the name of the feed, the lot number, the date, and contact information.

This is a new regulatory requirement that will come into effect on June 17, 2025. Please refer to the quick reference guide – traceability for additional information.

Product registration

It will depend on the types of feeds you import into Canada, as you are still required to register certain types of mixed feeds under the Feeds Regulations, 2024. Therefore, it is your responsibility to verify, prior to importation, if the imported feed requires registration.

In addition, you may choose to register a feed in order to import it without a licence.

This requirement reduces the number of mixed feeds requiring mandatory product registration.

These updated requirements came into effect on July 3, 2024. Please refer to RG-1 Regulatory Guidance for additional information.

Product labelling

You need to ensure that the livestock feeds that you import meet all labelling requirements outlined in the Feeds Regulations, 2024. Feeds that are manufactured abroad and imported into Canada must meet the same labelling requirements as a feed that is produced domestically. You are responsible for labelling the imported feed properly, in collaboration with the foreign manufacturer.

Refer to Labelling of Livestock Feeds for detailed information of the labelling requirements under the Feeds Regulations, 2024.

Feeds that are imported for feeding your own livestock

Livestock feed that is imported for feeding your own livestock is not subject to the licencing requirements. However, it must be registered before it can be imported. Note that a licence may be issued on a voluntary basis.

Feed that is imported for research or experimental purposes is not subject to the licencing requirements, but must be approved before it can be imported.

Regulatory requirements that apply to you

Hazard analysis and preventive control plans

You must prepare, keep, maintain and implement a written preventive control plan (PCP) for any activities you perform with the imported feed fed to your own livestock. In addition, you must be able to demonstrate that the imported feed was manufactured, stored, packaged and labelled under conditions which provide the same level of protection as if those activities took place domestically under a PCP.

This is a new regulatory requirement that will come into effect on June 17, 2025. Please refer to the preventive control plans – general overview and hazard analysis – general overview for additional information.

Licences

You are not required to have a licence if the livestock feed is imported for feeding your own livestock. In this case, the imported feed must be registered before importation.

Traceability and record-keeping

You are required to keep records of the livestock feeds you import for feeding to your own livestock, including when you received the feed and where it came from. The records must include the name of the feed, the lot number, the date, and contact information.

This is a new regulatory requirement that will come into effect on June 17, 2025. Please refer to the quick reference guide – traceability for additional information.

Product registration

Livestock feeds that are not imported by a licence holder must be registered.

You are responsible for verifying if the imported feed requires mandatory registration prior to importation.

These updated requirements came into effect on July 3, 2024. Please refer to RG-1 Regulatory Guidance for additional information.

Product labelling

You need to ensure that the livestock feeds that you import meet all labelling requirements outlined in the Feeds Regulations, 2024. Feeds that are manufactured abroad and imported into Canada must meet the same labelling requirements as a feed that is produced domestically.

Refer to Labelling of livestock feeds for detailed information of the labelling requirements under the Feeds Regulations, 2024.

Benefits

The Feeds Regulations, 2024 are outcome-based and risk-based regulations with the focus on feed safety and compliance through modernized regulatory requirements (for example, hazard analysis, preventive control plans, traceability, and labelling requirements) and permissions (for example, livestock feed approval and registration and licences). The benefits of the Feeds Regulations, 2024 include:

  • safeguard livestock feed and the food production continuum
  • attain the most effective and efficient balance between fair and competitive trade in the market; and
  • minimize regulatory burden

As an importer of feed, it is your responsibility to make sure that the feed you import into Canada meets the same regulatory requirements outlined in the Feeds Regulations, 2024 as a feed produced in Canada. Ensuring that imported feeds meet the same standards as feeds manufactured domestically helps to protect animal health and contributes to food safety in Canada. Whether imported feeds are registered or imported by a licence holder, the same conditions apply with respect to identifying hazards, putting in place preventive control plans, meeting safety standards, and proper labelling.

Livestock feed being imported into Canada may need to meet other import requirements related to plant health and animal health. These requirements are in place to prevent the spread of diseases and pests that could be introduced into Canada. The specific requirements for the importation of commodities regulated by the CFIA can be found in the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS).

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